Fate of med mart site will be known within 6 months, official says

The fate of the exiting Nashville Convention Center, prime downtown real estate once identified for the now defunct Nashville Medical Trade Center, will likely be known in the next three to six months, a city tourism official said.

That timeline is in stark contrast to that which has played out for this long-delayed project, which was announced by city officials nearly three years ago.

"We would have loved to see the med mart happen because it would have been great for business," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "But I'm not overly concerned that there won't be some good options in the near future."

Spyridon said the fate of the property should be known in the next three to six months. He added that the site is one of two prime pieces of open property downtown, in addition to the former site of the Nashville Thermal Plant.

"(F)acing the opening of the new Music City Center in less than a year, it is time for (Nashville) to make some strategic decisions on the future of the existing convention center," Riebeling wrote. "While we have no immediate plans for the bulk of the building, we do plan to immediately work to finalize arrangements with one or more entities interesting in entering into long-term arrangements."

Mayor Karl Dean avoided specifics about the site's future in a statement today.

"A medical mart in a health care hub like Nashville made a lot of sense and was an exciting prospect. While I am disappointed that the Nashville Medical Trade Center is not moving forward, I understand that the challenges associated with a down economy made this project difficult," Dean said. "The convention space remains a desirable piece of property located in a vibrant area of our downtown. It is a great asset generating a lot of interest, and the city will put it to good use."

In a statement today, a Live Nation spokesperson said: "Nashville is a great market. We are continuing to look at it. We are always looking at cities around the country that are a good match for House of Blues and Nashville is one of them."